Chapter three for your reading pleasure. Horrific update speed this time, I apologise. Sorry for the delay, this was supposed to have been up earlier than now. Thanks to Serirod, Meneil, EagleFox and Maxus for reviewing! Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun. How many times...?
That's uncomfortable.
It certainly was. One minute Jenna was floating in a hazy dream, where there were no worries, no antagonists and certainly no cocky blonde boys. And the next-
"Ugh," Jenna commented, feeling a wave of nausea washing over her. Well, that was an intelligent statement. Way to impress whoever might be wherever you are right now.
She quickly opened her eyes, and to her blessed relief she was alone. The sudden harsh light caused her eyes to water, but she sat up and took in her surroundings. Wherever she was had a warmer climate than the one she was used to, and hot sunshine blazed in through a nearby window. The room she was in was quite pleasant, holding colourful tapestries depicting different events, none of them violent. The bed she was lying on was big enough, but the blanket reacted with her skin, causing it to itch.
Jenna scratched absent-mindedly on her arm, trying quickly to remember why she was here. Something told her it was bad news. The room...that blue-haired girl...and then...oh dear.
Oh dear indeed. Jenna stared at the door with a sense of foreboding, as the handle turned. She shifted slightly to get a better view, causing the blanket to irritate her further. Mysterious stranger, possibly wielding an axe, sword or other sharp object, almost through the door, and you're worrying about the blanket? She had to laugh at herself.
The person opening the door must've had heard her dry laugh. He didn't look surprised to see her awake, anyway. To Jenna's annoyance, it was the blonde-haired man who'd invaded her room...how long ago? How long had she been here? He grinned, and set a water jug down on the table.
"Darn, was hoping that you were still asleep. Bit of cold water doesn't do any harm now and then."
She hated his casualness. Unconsciously, she drew the blanket up to her shoulders, and waved an accusing finger at him. "Explain," she ordered, glaring at him.
"You don't beat about the bush, do you?" He stretched and leaned on a small dresser at the other end of the room. His eyes twinkled with amusement. "I suppose you're wondering what's going on."
"Hence the word 'explain'," Jenna said through gritted teeth.
"All right," he put his palms up in defence. "Well, there's a perfectly good explanation as to why we brought you here-"
Of course, the tall brunette. Forgot him.
"...it's actually got a lot to do with your old man. You see-"
"My father?!" Jenna asked in disbelief. Something clicked. "He ordered you to kidnap me?"
"What?" The blonde's eyes widened slightly, sensing dangerous territory. "No! No, it was-"
Jenna threw the blanket off and leapt out of bed, grabbing a wooden plank from the floor. She held it threateningly in front of her.
"W-what I mean is, that we were actually on a rescue mission." The blonde quickly tried to calm the situation. It had been difficult enough getting her here in the first place.
"A rescue mission," Jenna stated, an eyebrow arched in suspicion.
"Yeah!" The blonde grinned in relief, which didn't help matters at all.
"Why don't I believe you?" Jenna growled sarcastically.
"All right, how about I get someone who you will believe?"
"Oh? And who would that be? I don't know anybody in this backwards...town, village, city, wherever you brought me!" She could sense his anger – only faint at the moment, but she could tell that her stubbornness was beginning to annoy him.
"Look," he said, forcing a calm voice, "I-"
"I am not interested!" Jenna glared at him. "I do not care for your plans, I don't even want to know what you're planning, and I demand that you take me back to Imil, right now!"
He opened his mouth to speak – or possibly yell by this stage – but was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.
"Now, what's all the racket about?" A warm, slightly bossy voice spoke before its owner came through the door carrying the largest washing basket Jenna had ever seen. A slightly plump woman with hair of a soft red tone entered, and as she surveyed the room she tutted audibly. "Now really, dear, I know you're a bit confused, but there's no need to threaten my son. He's done nothing but care for you since you came here."
Jenna was completely taken aback, and for a moment was completely silent. What?
The blonde grinned. "Thanks, mum, I was starting to struggle here."
WHAT?
"Wh-what exactly is going on?" Jenna sputtered. "Your son? You knew he was going to kidnap me? And yet you approved?!" Jenna was amazed – the woman had to be middle-aged; surely she wouldn't be so stupid as to approve of something like this?
"There's no need to yell, dear," she said matter-of-factly. "I'm standing only a few feet away. Now, what seems to be the issue?"
Jenna opened her mouth stupidly, astounded by the lack of understanding in these people.
"Well, dear, my son didn't have a choice," the woman stated, beginning her task of making Jenna's bed. "All things considered, it was much safer to take you and bring you here, considering recent events."
"Recent events? What recent events?"
"Your city's massive problem with the world, is what," The blonde boy spoke. When Jenna said nothing, he continued: "you must have noticed the lack of communication to other cities lately, Princess. Our city is practically your city's brother, and yet all the communication we had with them was cut off suddenly. It's like Imil decided to go solo."
"Don't be ridiculous," Jenna spat, "without outside communications, we wouldn't survive. Where do you think our food comes from? Our income?"
"Isaac's right," the woman spoke up, still half-absorbed in her task of changing the bed sheets. "Imil suddenly severed ties with our city. We got a bit worried when other cities reported the same thing. It seems Imil's King doesn't want anybody to know what he's planning."
"Planning?" Jenna let out a dry laugh. "My father may be a bit deranged, but plans?" Even as she said this, Jenna knew something the woman had said rang true. Her father certainly seemed busy these days, calling upon Alex and his trusted advisors more and more often.
"We figured that getting you out early was the best thing to do," the boy – Isaac – spoke up.
"But why?" Jenna's curiosity had taken over, and she lessened her grip on the wooden plank. "Why do you care?"
"We have a lot of friends in Imil," the woman said softly, and for a moment it seemed she had abandoned her bed making. She stared at the duvet. "They're innocents. If something were to happen to them, we'd never forgive ourselves."
"So why not 'rescue' them? Why me?"
"That'd look a bit suspicious," Isaac said wryly. "Moving the whole town out? I think your old man might notice something then."
"Dear, don't refer to his Highness so informally," the woman, chastised Isaac, resuming her task.
"Sorry."
Jenna blinked. "And..."
"The reason we got you is because we think you might be able to help us." Isaac grinned. "What do you say, are you up for it?"
"Help you...? After you kidnapped me?"
"Here we go..."
"Excuse me?!" Jenna glared at him. "You take me away from everything I've ever known, force me here, and then expect me to help you?"
"You were hardly happy at home, were you?" Isaac commented, his eyes firm.
He had hit the mark, but still Jenna fumed at him. "What are you saying, that my father plans to go to war or something?" She laughed humourlessly. "Don't be ridiculous."
Nobody spoke. Jenna's eyes widened. "You can't be serious..."
"Unfortunately, dear, we have reason to believe that our friends in Imil are in danger of being used. We also have reason to believe that our neighbours are in trouble, too. Some are setting up defences already."
Jenna snorted. "What? But that doesn't make any sense. My father rules over Imil, and he's always been happy just to have that under his belt."
"Ever since the Mars Clan invaded, he's apparently been determined to take over and control those who weren't of Mercury blood. Especially those with Mars blood. He believes them to be rotten to the core, and he's convinced himself that if he doesn't act against them, he'll be overrun one day. He's trying to eliminate them, basically."
"That's why we were worried about you, Princess," Isaac appeared to be deadly serious. "You're of Mars origin, so we figured that you'd be in serious danger. Your father was afraid that Imil would find out he bore a child of Mars origin, and so we had to get you out."
"But..." What they were saying actually made sense to Jenna. "How do you know? About me?" She glanced at mother and son suspiciously. "My father was determined to keep my power a secret. How is it you know?"
The woman's warm aura suddenly shifted. "There have been too many questions," she said briskly. She scooped up her washing and made to leave the room.
"One minute!" Jenna exclaimed. "How? How do you know? Answer me!"
"Do not make demands of me!" The woman yelled, and to her alarm Jenna saw the woman's eyes flash dangerously. "You are no longer in Imil, and you certainly have no right to order me around!" There was a pause while both Jenna and the woman absorbed the shock of this outburst. The woman shook her head. "If Mehry could see you're attitude now...she would be disappointed."
Jenna's world stopped.
"How...how do you know my mother's name?"
The woman stopped, and looked with wide eyes at Jenna, realising she had said too much. "I...the news of the crowning...her name was given-"
"Don't lie to me!" Jenna exhaled sharply. "Her crowning name was Anahita...but her real name was Mehry. How...?"
The woman sighed deeply, almost sadly. She couldn't meet Jenna's eyes, though why Jenna didn't know.
"Your mother...I knew her. Before she was whisked away by the beauty of Imil." She forced herself to look at Jenna. "She hailed from this city. The City of Two."
"Vale..." Jenna whispered. She couldn't believe it.
"How ironic, eh? You were going to fight to get here, and you were brought here anyway," Isaac commented, trying to break the thick silence.
"Wh- how do you know I was considering coming here?!" Jenna tore her eyes away from the woman and glared suspiciously at Isaac. He took out a crumpled piece of paper – it was the note that she'd written to Alex, and then quickly hidden. "You...you searched me?!"
The silence became even more uncomfortable. Jenna was fuming. She breathed in and out noisily through her nose. She was in Vale...her mother's hometown, talking to people who had known her mother. It was so unexpected, so out of context, that she hardly dared believe it.
"I...I need to think..." Jenna's head was spinning. She quickly walked out of the door, and downstairs toward the front door.
"Wait!" came Isaac's voice, "you can't go out there!"
Too late. Jenna threw open the door. And gasped.
It was huge. Imil wasn't small, but Vale seemed to be three times the size. The house she was in sat at the top of the hill that Vale was draped across, giving her a view of almost the entire city. Luscious, green grass stretched across the city like a giant carpet, and the calming sounds of trickling water from the numerous fountains and natural waterfalls made it seem so peaceful. It was also very pleasantly warm – Imil's climate was harsh and cold, and the change was welcome to her.
Isaac stood at her shoulder as she marvelled at it all. "Pretty, isn't it? Welcome to Vale. I should warn you, though, not that many people know you're here. We had to keep it under wraps, otherwise someone might have told Imil, and then goodness knows what would have happened. So just...stay out of sight, all right?"
Jenna barely managed a nod. She wandered from the safety of the house, and headed up the hill to get a better view of the city. A large tree provided some shade, and she sat down and gazed upon the whole of Vale.
It was so much to take in. She was in her mother's city. Her mother had been so happy here, so carefree, before her father had come along and ruined her entire life. Jenna could actually picture a younger version of her mother, of Mehry, running around through the shallow streams and along grassy meadows, perhaps visiting the bakers or blacksmith; long hair blowing in the gentle wind.
Her mother... I have distant relatives in other parts of the world...how would you like to meet them? They had almost made it. Almost. They had been so close...looking across the city her mother had loved so much, knowing she could never return, Jenna couldn't stop the tears flowing.
Thank you, and goodnight!